BACKGROUND: German Naval uniforms and headgear were based on traditional designs that date back to the creation of the Prussian Navy in 1848, and although the uniforms and headgear did evolve during the interim years, many items used during the Third Reich would still have been quite recognizable to the Imperial sailor. The German navy also had a long tradition of brown and white tropical/landing dress that was worn in hot climates with the white uniform also serving as a walking out dress. The tradition was continued through the Weimar Reichsmarine, (National Navy, Circa 1919-1933) era and in 1929 the introduced new brown and white tropical/landing dress uniforms with stand-up collars. In 1937 the Kriegsmarine introduced new style brown and white tropical uniforms with lay down collars. With the impending entrance into the North African campaign in late 1940 the Kriegsmarine developed another new tropical brown uniform independently from the Heer and Luftwaffe, but retained the 1937 pattern white uniform. Included with the 1940 pattern tropical brown uniform were service tunics, field blouse, shirts and both short and long pants. Originally the tropical shirts were the pullover style with a four button front plaquet but later issue shirts were altered to include a full button up front closure. As with the continental shirts the tropical shirts were worn by all ranks and usually included the shoulder straps/boards as an indicator of rank and the national breast eagle. Regulations dictated that collar tabs were not to be worn on the shirts. The tropical uniforms were classed as Sonderbekleidungsstücke, (Special Articles of Clothing), and were only issued to personnel serving in tropical climates. Officers and certain senior NCO ranks were responsible for purchasing their own uniforms and headgear and as a result were allotted a clothing allowance through the OKK, Offizier Kleiderkasse der Kriegsmarine, (Officer’s Clothing Account of the Navy). Although enlisted personnel were issued their uniforms and headgear from government supplies they were also permitted to purchase privately tailored items although the price may have been restrictive. Generally speaking officers bought nice quality, private purchase, uniform items but they could also choose to buy their uniforms directly from the military clothing depots.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Early pattern, light weight, tan cotton construction, long sleeve, pullover shirt with an integral lay down collar. The shirt features a vertical, four button, front closure plaquet which runs from the neckline down to the waistline. The shirt has two pleated, patch, breast pockets with scalloped button down flaps. The right breast has a machine woven breast eagle with out-stretched wings, clutching a wreathed, canted, swastika in it’s talons, in golden yellow rayon threads on a woven, ribbed tan rayon base. The eagle still has it’s tan rayon factory roll edging which is folded in an inverted triangle and machine stitched to the shirt. The left breast has three vertical thread loops for wear of a ribbon/medal bar. The sleeves each have a five, small, vertical tapering darts and a vertical outer seam slash at the cuffs with single button closures. The shirt has a long tail skirt with vertical slashes at the bottom of each side seam. The shirt has slip on, ribbed tan cotton twill, pointed tip shoulder straps. The shoulder straps have an internal stiffener and narrow, ribbed tan cotton twill, slip on retaining tongues with white cotton/rayon reinforcement panels machine stitched to the reverse of each. The shoulder straps fabric retaining loops and buttons are intact. The shoulders each have small panels with stitched eyelets for the removable shoulder strap retaining buttons. The reverse shoulder panels have a small, vertical, tapering dart to each side. The exaggerated pointed tip, lay down collar has no collar tabs as per regulations. The reverse of the forward collar tips have small, open end, compartments designed to insert collar stiffeners for a neat appearance. The white bakelite collar stiffeners are included. The interior nape of the neck has a faint, black inkstamp that appears to include the manufacturer’s name and date, "Seidensticker 40". The shirt is in overall very good condition with a few small picks and pulls and minimal age and usage toning. The front plaquet closure buttons are the molded greenish/brown bakelite type and all appear to have their original stitching. The pocket, cuff and shoulder strap buttons are the olive drab painted, magnetic sheet metal and alloy Coastal Artillery type with an embossed, fouled anchor on a pebbled background field with a raised outer edge. The buttons retain over 95% of their olive drab paint and are the removable type secured by metal "S" rings. The shirt is roughly size 16" neck, 46" chest.

GRADE ****                             PRICE $358.00